Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, the "Bluetails,"
launched the squadron's first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye during a test flight
from Naval Station Norfolk, Nov. 20. The flight marks the end of VAW-121's
37-year relationship with the E-2C Hawkeye, the previous model, and
moving forward with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye ahead of most other early
warning squadrons.

"It's still an E-2 and we're going to be capable
to provide all the functions and perform all the same missions as we
did with the E-2C," said Lt. Cmdr. Nolan King, operations officer
for VAW-121. "With the added improvements in our sensor capability
we're going to be able to improve efficiency and lethality of the strike
group and other assets we're working with."

King said one of the major changes the E-2D will affect upon VAW-121
is an increase in personnel. Due to all VAW squadrons receiving five
E-2Ds instead of four, as they did throughout the E-2C's 50-year run
in the Navy, more personnel are required to maintain and pilot the extra
aircraft.

"We're in a great position to help write the book on employing
this aircraft throughout the rest of this year and the next," said
Lt. Daniel Hill, training officer for VAW-121. "We're taking what
we know and helping to develop recommendations to the fleet and weapon
schools based on what we see."

Many of the new improvements aboard the E-2D include an entirely new
electronics suite, more powerful turboprop engines and the future potential
for air-to-air refueling.

"It's like anything brand new, everybody wants to get their hands
on it," said Aviation Machinist Mate 1st Class (AW) Luis Garcia,
power plant leading petty officer for VAW-121. "One of the best
things about getting this new aircraft is knowing that we get to be
the pioneers and learn the platform before anybody else."

Garcia said many of his crew volunteered to extend at VAW-121 for the
opportunity to deploy with the E-2D and become experts on the new aircraft
ahead of many others in the fleet.

Even with the excitement of being the second squadron to receive the
E-2D, the first being VAW-125 the "Tiger Tails," many of the
crew are sad to see an aircraft they had all grown familiar with start
its slow march to becoming obsolete in the fleet.

"There's always a little nostalgia to see an old friend go,"
said King. "But there's still enough of the E-2C in the E-2D that
we can see our heritage in it."

Testing for the E-2D began in 2007 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River,
Maryland, with the craft's first deployment scheduled with aircraft
carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in 2015.